While more and more people are recognising the need to take urgent action on air pollution, some lobby groups have started to try to cast doubt over whether it is a problem at all but the evidence speaks for itself. … Read more →

Health professionals, teachers, scientists and local campaigners have come together to ask candidates in the metro mayor elections to “put the health of their communities first” and commit to tackling the air pollution crisis in their regions.… Read more →

The Healthy Air Campaign has written to the Chancellor asking for a change in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) in the upcoming budget so that the extra costs of diesel pollution are reflected in the price of a new diesel car.… Read more →

Until you’ve been through near-suffocation, you don’t know what a terrible feeling it is. My life changed forever after I collapsed because of air pollution. It’s an invisible danger. It nearly killed me.… Read more →

Just sixty years ago, towns and cities across the UK would be regularly smothered by smoke from coal fires burning in homes and factories. But, sixty years after the first Clean Air Act, air pollution is still damaging people’s health across the UK – we just can’t see it.… Read more →

Londoners have until this Friday 29 July to tell the Mayor he needs to be bold and do all he can to clean up London’s air. The urgency with which the new Mayor seems to be treating tackling air pollution has been widely welcome and is much needed.… Read more →

Just two months into his term as Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched the first stage of the consultation on his plans for cleaning up London’s air. Sadiq, who blames developing asthma as an adult on the years of breathing London’s dirty air, promised to make air pollution one of his top … Read more →

In the recent consultation, despite saying that ‘tackling air pollution is a priority’, the UK Government has shown us they are not really up to the scale of the problem. The consultation has closed and responses have been submitted. However, this is not the end… Read more →

The UK Government’s consultation on its draft plans to improve air quality closed on 6 November 2015. Published under the title ‘tackling nitrogen dioxide in our towns and cities’, it did much to disappoint.… Read more →

On Saturday 12th September the Government launched its long awaited consultation on new draft air quality plans to tackle levels of nitrogen dioxide. The consultation, a result of ClientEarth’s legal victory at the Supreme Court, comes after years of asking the Government to take ambitious action to protect people’s health from the harmful impacts of air pollution.… Read more →

MPs support action on air pollution The Healthy Air Campaign was in Parliament last week to tell MPs about the dangers of air pollution and the need for action. MPs dropped by to meet with our campaigners, hear about ClientEarth’s landmark legal victory and speak to academics from King’s College about the air quality in… Read more →

ClientEarth have won a huge victory for the health of people in the UK. Just two week’s ago ClientEarth’s lawyers were in court fighting for our right to clean air. The UK Supreme Court has now agreed that the Government is not doing enough to protect us from the harmful impacts of air pollution and is ordering it to take “immediate action.” The Supreme Court has condemned the Government’s… Read more →

Today ClientEarth’s lawyers are at the Supreme Court defending our right to clean air. It is the final hearing of a four-year-long legal battle with the UK Government for failure to protect us from the most harmful impacts of air pollution. The outcome could help put the UK on a firm path towards cleaner air, preventing thousands of early deaths each year.… Read more →

The EU needs to act on air pollution For the second time in less than a month, the UK is experiencing a dangerous smog event. People across the country are at risk. With both the UK and the EU moving so slowly towards any ambitious action on air pollution, we will continue suffering from these problems… Read more →

Dangerous air pollution across the UK This week people living across the country face dangerous levels of air pollution. We will probably find increased reports of asthma and respiratory problems for many at-risk groups. But that’s not all. This is unlikely to be the last air pollution event this spring. With both the UK and… Read more →

Ruling due in air pollution case ClientEarth’s air pollution case against the UK Government will receive a judgment on the 29th April. This ruling could have a huge effect on our health. Many areas in the UK suffer from illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution. In fact, government plans show that some areas will not even… Read more →

Londoners have until the end of this week to take part in TfL’s consultation on the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) so make sure you have your say. An Ultra-Low Emission Zone could really tackle London’s air pollution problems but the current proposals are not ambitious enough. This would be the first scheme of it’s kind and could set the standard for others to follow.… Read more →

MPs demand urgent action on air quality This week, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) – a group of MPs who hold the Government to account on environmental protection and sustainable development – published a damning report on air pollution in the UK. The report contains a number of recommendations which the EAC says need to… Read more →

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has delivered its judgment in ClientEarth’s case on illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide across the UK, and firmly upheld our right to breathe clean air. The ECJ ruled that the UK must act to clean up illegal levels of air pollution “as soon as possible”. Under current plans the UK will not meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide until after 2030 – 20 years after the original deadline.… Read more →

European Court of Justice to rule on UK air pollution case This Wednesday (19th November 2014), the European Court of Justice (ECJ) will deliver its judgment in ClientEarth’s case against the UK Government over its failure to tackle air pollution. ClientEarth, a member of the Healthy Air Campaign, has taken the UK Government to court… Read more →

Today, the Healthy Air Campaign has published a set of measures which would improve air quality across the UK. These policies are supported by Healthy Air Campaign partners, and we urge all political parties to commit to implementing them.… Read more →

Plans for the much anticipated Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) are finally open for scrutiny by Londoners. Since the Mayor of London announced the intention to investigate the feasibility of a ULEZ, there have been many calls for more ambition in its design, scope and implementation. So what is being proposed?… Read more →

Welcome to Brussels! Air pollution is not only a problem in the UK, but a huge problem across Europe. Every year 400,000 people die prematurely because of poor air quality. The European Parliament has the power to change this, if they act now. Our friends at the European Environmental Bureau made the video above to… Read more →

Transport is the main contributor to air pollution in our cities, and how we move around in them can have huge consequences for how much air pollution we are exposed to. The Healthy Air Campaign teamed up with King’s College London, … Read more →

The Sun and the air Today, the Sun launched a campaign to scrap diesel cars, and to compensate diesel drivers for new restrictions on their vehicles. As you know, we’re campaigning for urgent action to reduce air pollution across the UK and diesel fumes are a huge part of the problem. So it is great… Read more →

This week the Mayor of London announced supposedly “game changing” plans to tackle London’s air pollution disaster. Headlines were made over proposals to charge drivers of the dirtiest diesel vehicles for the privilege of driving into central London from 2020 under a proposed Ultra Low Emission Zone. However, after all the fanfare has died down, what are we left with?… Read more →

The European Clean Air campaign has produced an online resource for citizens, NGOs, local authorities, policy and decision makers to access information about legal actions on air pollution across Europe. You will find current proceedings against other European member states, completed or ongoing legal cases in connection with violations to the Air Quality Directive, and current developments related to the air pollution control measures. … Read more →

ClientEarth’s case against the UK Government was heard at the Court of Justice of the European Union today, just as the Government snuck out the revelation that they wouldn’t meet legal air pollution limits until after 2030. In the 20 more years or more that Greater London, West Yorkshire and the West Midlands will have dangerous levels of NO2, tens of thousands of people will die due to exposure.… Read more →

This Saturday the Healthy Air London team were at The Urban Outdoors Festival with designer and campaigner, Vivienne Westwood, her Climate Revolution team, and Camden Council. This community festival was a chance to celebrate our great urban outdoors and encourage sustainable and healthy lifestyles to help protect it.… Read more →

Our right to clean air is enshrined in EU law. So in theory, EU citizens could take their national governments to court to demand they take action to clean our air. In reality, this is a difficult undertaking. ClientEarth has created a straightforward, easy to use guide to EU law with practical tips on how it can be used to fight for clean air whether you are a concerned citizen, an experienced campaigner or an environmental lawyer. … Read more →

Much of the UK suffered from high air pollution for most of last week, grabbing headlines as never before. The exotic addition of Saharan dust proved convenient for some, who seemed grateful of having something else to blame it on. … Read more →

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk, causing 7 million premature deaths each year worldwide: 3.7 million from outdoor air pollution and 4.3 million from household air pollution.… Read more →

We’re pleased that UKLPG, the trade association of the UK liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry, has announced it is supporting our mission to combat air pollution.

The first of hopefully many industry supporters* of the campaign, they will help us to reach a broader audience as well as demonstrate that tackling air pollution goes hand in hand with economic growth – the right kind of economic growth where our health doesn’t pay the price.… Read more →

We are pleased to announce that the UK Health Forum are the latest addition to the Healthy Air Campaign. CEO Paul Lincoln says this on the subject:

“Air pollution needs more attention, it poses a serious threat to our health and can’t be ignored any longer. UKHF supports the Healthy Air Campaign to raise the profile of this issue and call for meaningful action, which will go towards preventing key public health issues such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, health inequalities and climate change.”… Read more →

Weather man Martin Stew recently highlighted how cyclists can be exposed to harmful levels of air pollution along the capital’s busy roads in a report for ITV London. He also outlined steps that can be taken to reduce the negative impacts.

During his normal cycle commute from Streatham into Central London, monitoring equipment showed how Martin was frequently exposed to air pollution over the World Health Organisation’s recommended levels.… Read more →

2014 could be heading in the right direction for London’s air quality with announcements for two new cleaner options for black cabs in the last few weeks.

Black cabs are seen by many to be emblematic of London but their diesel engines are catastrophic for the capital’s air quality. Diesel vehicles have been favoured by Government policies because they have slightly lower carbon emissions than their petrol counterparts.… Read more →

Overwhelming public pressure has forced government to reconsider plans to scrap local air quality monitoring.The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) today published a summary of responses and its reply to the controversial consultation… Read more →

A report published by the Committee on Climate Change today draws attention to the broader benefits of action to tackle climate change.

Analysis carried out to evaluate the health and environmental impacts associated with the fourth carbon budget measures finds that the monetised benefits almost negate the costs of implementation.… Read more →

Today the specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organisation announced that it has classified outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, after reviewing the latest scientific evidence, concluded that there is sufficient evidence that exposure to outdoor air pollution causes lung cancer. … Read more →

In July, Cambridge MP Julian Huppert asked a great air quality PMQ, referencing research on the increased risk of heart failure from air pollution. Although disappointed with the drab reply, we were at least reassured to know that David Cameron intended to follow this up with a written response.… Read more →

A study published today in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine shows exposure to common air pollutants and traffic pollution during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of low birthweight in newborn babies.

It’s particularly depressing that this research should be published on the same day as the latest report from the European Environmental Agency, detailing the UK’s pitiful performance on air quality.… Read more →

In September Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith wrote to Lord de Mauley to set out his “serious concerns” about the proposals set forward as part of Defra’s review of local air quality management in England. Highlighting the Healthy Air Campaign’s response, he urged the Defra minister to take our recommendations on board.… Read more →

Defra, lead government department on air quality, is proposing that we scrap responsibilities for local authorities in England to monitor local air quality and prepare plans to improve it where it is a problem.

Julian Huppert MP addressed the following question to David Cameron during Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday:

“Three quarters of a million British people suffer from heart failure, a condition which uses a million hospital beds every year. Research funded by the British Heart Foundation shows that even low levels of air pollution can significantly increase this risk. … Read more →

Air pollution contributes to lung cancer incidence in Europe and is a danger to people living with heart failure, increasing their chance of hospitalisation and death. These are headline results from two studies published today in the Lancet.… Read more →

Wednesday 1st May 2013 was a good day for air quality. A legal battle which began in 2011 has resulted in a formal ruling from the highest court in the land that the UK Govt is failing in its legal duty… Read more →

Rosalind Dalton has lived in the Royal Borough of Greenwich for 25 years, close to the A102 (pictured). A couple of years ago she was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is a condition often associated with smoking, but neither Rosalind nor anyone in her household has ever smoked…… Read more →

Making green links with Living Streets Southwark Living Streets are partners of the Healthy Air Campaign and I went along to talk to the Southwark Living Streets group in March. Southwark being home to the Old Kent Road, they are no strangers to the issues around air quality, and Ben Barratt and his team from… Read more →

Healthy Air Campaign partner Sustrans are providing training and support for volunteers and volunteer groups to be champions for clean air in Hackney, Redbridge and Havering. If you aren’t lucky enough to live in one of these boroughs, get in touch with the Healthy Air Campaign … Read more →

New research reported on today suggests that air pollution can have a significant health impacts for unborn babies. The Daily Telegraph, Guardian and many others have reported on a study from Newcastle University… Read more →

The link between air pollution and asthma exacerbations is well established. Here we highlight some of the studies that evaluate the extent to which air pollution causes the onset of asthma.… Read more →

This week we are very proud to be Mumsnet Campaign of the Week. Parents put so much energy into protecting their children’s health. There are so many immediate things to consider that it can be… Read more →

Those who remember the dramatic Great London Smog of 1952 could be forgiven for looking around and thinking that the problem must have gone away. Unfortunately nothing could be further from the truth… Read more →

The EU has declared that 2013 will be the ‘Year of Air’ – paving the way for a much needed overhaul of EU air pollution laws. However, the UK Government has publicly stated that it will use this to … Read more →

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has today published its report Protecting the Arctic. It is no coincidence that after hearing evidence on the subject for six months, the EAC chose this week to publish its findings: last week it was confirmed that this summer the Arctic sea ice shrank… Read more →

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, a part of the World Health Organisation, has for the first time labelled diesel exhausts as a definite cause of cancer. The findings are based on research in high-risk workers… Read more →

Reducing air pollution can save lives and save the Arctic. That was the message I gave to a parliamentary committee yesterday. The Environmental Audit Committee is a house of commons select committee tasked with scrutinising the government’s performance on environment matters.… Read more →